Holy Trinity Sunday (Ps) June 15th

Psalm 35:17-28

¹⁷    How long, O Lord, will you look on?

Rescue me from their destruction,

my precious life from the lions!

¹⁸    I will thank you in the great congregation;

in the mighty throng I will praise you.

¹⁹    Let not those rejoice over me

who are wrongfully my foes,

       and let not those wink the eye

who hate me without cause.

²⁰    For they do not speak peace,

but against those who are quiet in the land

they devise words of deceit.

²¹    They open wide their mouths against me;

they say, “Aha, Aha!

Our eyes have seen it!”

²²    You have seen, O Lord; be not silent!

O Lord, be not far from me!

²³    Awake and rouse yourself for my vindication,

for my cause, my God and my Lord!

²⁴    Vindicate me, O Lord, my God,

according to your righteousness,

and let them not rejoice over me!

²⁵    Let them not say in their hearts,

“Aha, our heart’s desire!”

       Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”

²⁶    Let them be put to shame and disappointed altogether

who rejoice at my calamity!

       Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor

who magnify themselves against me!

²⁷    Let those who delight in my righteousness

shout for joy and be glad

and say evermore,

       “Great is the Lord,

who delights in the welfare of his servant!”

²⁸    Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness

and of your praise all the day long.

The First Article: Creation

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.

What does this mean?

I believe that God has made me and all creatures; that He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still takes care of them. He also gives me clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, wife and children, land, animals, and all I have. He richly and daily provides me with all that I need to support this body and life. He defends me against all danger and guards and protects me from all evil. All this He does only out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me. For all this it is my duty to thank and praise, serve and obey Him. This is most certainly true.

Heavenly Father, though we do not deserve your goodness, still You provide for all our needs of body and soul.  Grant us Your Holy Spirit that we may acknowledge Your gifts, give thanks for all Your benefits, and serve You in willing obedience; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now forever. Amen.